


Empty Bottles

by Cobbleopolis



Category: Fargo (2014)
Genre: Mentioned violence, Teen Numbers, Teen Wrench, mentioned child abuse, not good at tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-17
Updated: 2015-02-17
Packaged: 2018-03-13 12:00:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3380720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cobbleopolis/pseuds/Cobbleopolis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Over the course of the six years since the second grade, Numbers had gotten progressively better and better at Sign Language. As Numbers got better at if Numbers and Wrench were able to learn more about each other and become really close friends. However, the middle school years hadn’t always been the kindest to Numbers. 6th grade, Number’s parents started fighting; 7th grade, his parents split up and after a series of court hearings, Numbers’ brother went to go live with his mom halfway across the state in Algona, Iowa. So far, middle school hasn’t been the best for Numbers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Glass Bottles

As Numbers walked in the front door of his house, he was greeted by the smell of cheap alcohol that, over the past year, seemed to commonly fill the house in the afternoon. Numbers let out an inaudible sigh and made straight for his room. Judging by how early in the afternoon it was, his dad would still be awake for the next hour or two before he normally passes out in his recliner and Numbers could move freely around the house without fear of his dad violently yelling at him. Numbers used this time to hide in his room and do his homework and after he passes out, Numbers gets a chance to make a small meal and he’s usually quiet enough, not to disturb his dad. Numbers still preferred when his dad would leave some food, that his dad made before he passed out, on the kitchen counter because almost all of the food Numbers makes turns horrible.

 

Numbers finished his homework fairly early because today, he had a fairly light load. Numbers peaked out of his room to see if his dad had passed out yet. He didn’t see his dad in the family room watching TV and it was a little late for his dad to still be awake, so maybe he had actually made it to his rarely used bed. After Number decided the coast was clear, he quietly made his way over to the kitchen, but just as he walked through the open doorway, he deeply wished that he hadn’t. His dad was sitting at the kitchen table, with an empty whiskey bottle next to him and was halfway through a second. Over the past year, Numbers had learned far too well to think that his dad hadn’t noticed him, so he knew going back to his room was out of the question.

“You just gonna stand there?” Numbers’ dad spat.

“I-I was going to get something to eat.” Numbers stammered.

“Where you now?” His dad said almost menacingly.

“Y-ya,” he replied glancing down at his feet, “I was starting to get hungry.”

“Oh! You’re hungry are you! You ungrateful little shit!” Numbers’ dad began to yell “I’ve given you a place to sleep, a roof to live under, and clothes to wear, and this is how you repay me! Acting as if I don’t do anything around here as if I have done nothing for you!”

“I’m sorry, I was just hungry. I didn’t mean anything by it.” Numbers mumbled.

“Bullshit! Don’t lie to me!” Numbers’ dad rapidly stood up and threw the half-empty whisky bottle, just barely missing Numbers and shattering on the wall behind him. All Numbers could do is cringe because he knew things were about to get much worse than he had ever anticipated.

 


	2. You’re Not Fine

Numbers had been avoiding Wrench all day. He knew that the second Wrench saw him, he would drop everything and want to know what had happened to Numbers the day before. Although it was inevitable when the bell rang, dismissing second period. There was no way for Numbers to go and arrive at his third period class on time and not run into Wrench on his way.

Numbers was walking faster than normal, with his head slightly down in hopes that maybe Wrench wouldn't notice. Numbers soon realized that his attempt was futile when Wrench's friendly smile was quickly replaced with an expression of shock and concern. Wrench quickly picked up his pace and cut Numbers off in the middle of the hallway. "What happened!" Wrench signed "Are you alright?"

Avoiding eye contact Numbers replied "I'm fine."

"No, you are not! Who did this to you? Was it Will? This is the-"

"It wasn't Will." Numbers interjected.

"Well, who was it?"

Numbers, visibly upset at the question, took a moment before responding "You should go to class. You are going to be late."

"Don't worry about that. Please, tell me who did this?"

"My dad!"

It took Wrench a moment to process this information. "Come on we are going to Principal Adams’ office and telling him what happened."

"But you are going to be late for class."

"Does it really seem like I care about that right now?"

On the way to the principal’s office, Wrench tried to break the awkward silence between the two, "What did you tell your teachers?"

"I told them that I fell down the stairs and hit my eye on the railing."

"A-L-E-X, thank you for telling me what happened. It means a lot to me."

Numbers would be lying if he said that he didn't smile a little when Wrench told him that.

After recounting the events of the previous day two more times, once to the principal and once again to the police after they had arrived, Numbers was bored out of his mind. He had resorted to playing random paper games with Wrench to pass the time while the officer took care of reporting the incident back to the station. Once the officer returned, he told Numbers that everything was taken care of and that he couldn't remain at home alone as his dad had been taken into custody. He also said that they would be placing him in a local foster home and depending on the result of the court case Numbers would either be re-released into his father's custody or stay in the foster system. This terrified Numbers and it could easily be seen on his face; the uncertainty of if he would be able to stay in touch with his friend evident. The officer left yet again, this time it was unclear if she would be returning.

Taking advantage of the moment,  Numbers turned to face the principal "Mr. Adams, is there anything I can do so that I don't end up in a foster home?"

"I suppose if you found some family willing to take you in that isn't tied to the case, it would be alright."

Just then, Numbers felt Wrench tap his shoulder "Did the principal say something about you needing a place to stay?"

"Ya, the officer said that I'm going to be placed in foster care because I can't stay at home by myself, and right now the only way I know that might be able to stop that is to get somewhere else to stay."

"Well, can you ask the principal to call my dad and ask if it would be okay to you to stay with us for a while? He should be home today."

"Really?"

Wrench just nodded his head.

Numbers quickly signed a "Thank you" to Wrench and presented the idea to the principal.

After principal Adams got off the phone, he turned to the now anxious Numbers. “Mr. Alex, Ian’s dad has informed me that he would be glad to have you stay with them for a while. Although, he would still like to talk to you and hear exactly what’s going on.”

“Okay!” Numbers eagerly responded. Numbers let a smile spread across his face, happy that he would not be put into foster care and possibly taken from his friend.

 


End file.
